


Reveal

by HeatherGiesbrecht



Category: Crimson Peak (2015)
Genre: Cameras, Canonical Child Abuse, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Master & Servant, Photographs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-03
Updated: 2015-12-03
Packaged: 2018-05-04 16:43:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5341220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeatherGiesbrecht/pseuds/HeatherGiesbrecht
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The rare familial photographs that he took of his master's family revealed the truths they wished to hide.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reveal

Ever since Sir Michael was young, Finlay had served the Sharpe family. With slowly, but steadily failing sight, he saw the once noble and honest family fall apart after the untimely death of Sir Michael's older sister, the young lady Isabella, at the hands of bandits. With Lady Isabella gone there was no one to calm Sir Michael's outbursts of anger. Sir Phillip and Lady Elizabeth moved out of Allerdale Hall unable to cope with both their daughter's loss and their son's emotional issues. Sir Michael had gone near mad in his grief, smashing plates, tearing apart anything she'd loved whilst screaming that she had abandoned him.

When Sir Michael had married Lady Beatrice he had known that any resulting children would suffer. Unfortunately, he was right - neither his master or mistress wanted children and then young lady Lucille was born. The moment that his master saw Lady Lucille, how much she resembled his sister, she would never be treated with anything resembling fairness. Two years of Sir Michael's drinking and whoring later, little Sir Thomas would follow from a night of fidelity, yet again unwanted and unloved.

They started growing and he saw the injuries and, worst of all, when he managed to sneak up to the nursery with salves heard them crying. Not being able to do anything substantial to stop it hurt him the most. After all, he and his wife had raised their son, Douglas, with as happy a childhood as he could've wished for. So he knew exactly what they should've had, what they would never have. In all truthiness, when young mistress Lucille and young master Thomas became school-aged he hoped it would cease, it did not.

Master Michael, Mistress Beatrice and himself would go to pick up the children from school. He saw how the young Sharpes were far more awkward with their parents than the normal children. How the other children subtly shunned and taunted his young charges because of their parents own prejudice. Rather than pity their baronet's poor children the villagers avoided them at all cost. Even worse than the normal villagers was the deliberate obtuseness of Headmaster Hereford; the man ignored every bit of evidence that pointed to the children's being abused.

The rare familial photographs that he took of his master's family revealed the truths they wished to hide. Those photographs revealed the children's utterly lifeless eyes, how they clung fearfully to each other's hand. Also they would show the mistress's irritation and Sir Michael's restless anger. Years later, he mentally rejoiced when he rose from a crouch and confirmed to young master Thomas that Sir Michael was dead. He remembered how the eight year-old had embraced him, the happy little tune that young Sir Thomas had hummed all the way back to the house. Sir Michael's memento mori showed that the young master and mistress's eyes had finally gained some life, while Lady Beatrice remained dour as ever. Perhaps now something would change for the better ? He had to hope.  


End file.
